The Politics of Disconnection
Matthew:
April 16th, 2007
Another Labour competency fiasco, another enquiry. The sequence is as predictable as it is frequent. Des Browne today announced seperate enquiries into a) the capture of the UK military personell and b) the decision to let two of them sell their stories to the press. Rather than vehicles for getting to the bottom of an important issue, the ‘indepedent enquiry’ of the Labour government is a way of side-stepping uncomfortable questions. You can see it now, Jeremy Paxman; ‘Who made the decision to let the sailors sell their story’ Des Browne: ‘We’re awaiting the results of an independent enquiry…’ The enquiry eventually surfaces, exonerating any individuals of culpability, but perhaps a highlighting a couple of ’systemic’ or ‘procedural’ failings. You can hardly wonder at the electorate’s disconnection from politics when the politicians themselves try to disconnect themselves from the decisions they make.